1874, Governor Washburn
was elected as United States Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the
death of Hon. Charles Sumner. One of the first important acts of his
official life after this event was the approval of the "Ten-Hour bill."

In the same year Mr. Talbot received the Republican nomination for
Governor but was defeated by Hon. William Gaston. In 1878 he again had
the nomination, and was elected over Gen. Butler, Judge Abbott and A.A.
Miner.

He was presidential elector in 1876 and 1884, and was chairman of the
State Board of Health, Lunacy and Charity from its establishment in 1879
to 1884.

Mr. Talbot was strictly a temperance man and was a professed
Prohibitionist.

* * * * *

AMONG THE BOOKS.

The preparation of elaborately illustrated editions of standard poems
especially for the holiday trade has become a very prominent feature of
the book publishing business. Every year seems to mark an increased
beauty and variety in the work which the artist contributes to these
holiday books, and many classic works of literature are read with
clearer meaning and vastly greater delight, by reason of the intelligent
interpretations often given in the illustrations of our best artists of
the day.

Among the most tasteful as well as sumptuous art volumes of the last
three years have been James R. Osgood & Co.'s "The Lady of the Lake,"
"The Princess," and "Marmion." For a similar book for this season,
Messrs, Ticknor & Co., the successors of the old firm, have taken as a
subject Lord Byron's _Childe Harold_.[6] Of the poem nothing need
be said here, for it is universally accepted as Byron's greatest and
best; but of the illustrations, pages of praise could easily be written.
The poem itself has been a fertile theme for the artists, for the scene
is made to shift from one to another of the most beautiful and romantic
localities of the Rhine, of Spain, Italy and Greece, and most of the
illustrations are true representations of castles, ruins, palaces and
natural scenery in these ancient countries.

All of the illustrations in the volume are from wood, in the production
of which the most famous American artists and engravers have given their
best work, all of it having been under the supervision of Mr A.V.S.
Anthony.

* * * * *

Scarcely a year has elapsed since the appearance of the first volume of
Mr. BLAINE'S _Twenty Years in Congress_, whic